Apparatus for purifying oil



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0 0 e l Jv. J' LOWDEN 2Sheetvs Sheet 1 APPARATUS FOR 'PURIPYING OIL.

No. 463,062. Patented Nov. 10,1891.v

Mfbmm (No Model.) I l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. J. LOWDBN. APPARATUS PORPURIPYING OIL.

No. 463,062. Patented Nov. 10,1891.

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UNITEio STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES J. LOVDEN, OF EVERETT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HENRY G. THOMAS, OFBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING OIL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 463,062, dated November10, 1891.

Application led April 13, 1891. Serial No. 388,691. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES J. LownEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Everett, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inApparatus for Purifying Oil, of which the following, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, is a specilication.

The object of my invention is to produce an apparatus for purifying oil,especially oil used for lubricating steam-cylinders and which has beenseparated from the exhaust-steam by an extractor or any oil containing'dirt or other impurities.

The invention consists ot' an apparatus in the upper portion of whichthe oil to be purified is placed and then passes down into a-compartment heated by a steam-coil, which causes the heavier particlesto be released and fall to the bottom, the partly-cleansed oil then.passing through a pipe to a lower compartment, where it is washed bypassing' through water in small drops, as hereinafter fully described,and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a-verticalsection taken through the center of an oil-purifying apparatus'embodyingmy invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line x :o of Fig.l. Fig. 3 is a similar section taken on line y y of Fig. l. Fig. et is avertical section through the sightfeed, drawn to a larger scale. Fig. 5is a horizontal section taken on line .e of Fig. 4:.

The apparatus consists of a lower compartment or tank A and an uppertank B, formed so that the lower edge of the upper one lits snugly uponthe upper edge of the lower one. The upper tank B is at its upperedgeformed with an inwardly and downwardly projecting flange h, uponwhich rests a flange c, formed on the upper edge of a tank or receptacleO, and upon the flange c rests ailange cl of the oil-receivingreceptacle D. This receptacle is preferably of funnel shape, and it isat its lowest point provided with a grating D which acts as a strainer`and retains any large particles that may be in the oil. The bottom ofthe receptacle D is formed with three circular-downwardly-proj ectin gflanges E .F F', the

central one E of which is of conical form, as shown, so that as soon asthe oil passes through the grating D it will readily fall down to thebottom oi' the tank C. In the space between the iianges F F is arrangeda coil of pipe G, the inlet and outlet of which pass through the bottomof the tank C and out through the side of the tank B. By this coil theoil is heated to the desired temperature, so as to reduce its densityand liberate the impurities, which then settle at the bottom of the tankO and when required are removed through a pipe H. Any gas that may begenerated in this portion of the process escapes from between theiianges E F F through holes f g into the tank C and from thence by holesc into the tank B and through holes CZ out of the same.

The lower tank A is formed with a double bottom, the inner oneIbeing offunnel shape, so that the impurities taken from the oil in the processof washing will concentrate at the bottom, to be carried off by a pipeJ. A short distance above the bottom the tank is divided by a circularpartition K into two compartments L M, the central one L containingWater and the outer one M to receive the puritied oil, the Water beingsupplied* through a pipe N, down a central tube P, and through arms Q.The pipe N may also be connected to a steam-supply, so that when desiredthe water can be cut ott and steam admitted, sov as to blow all matterthat has accumulated at the bottom of the compartment L out through thepipe J. Through the center of the tube P is passed a rod R, to the lowerend of which are secured wings R and to the upper end is secured abevelwheel S, in gear with a bevel-wheel T on a rod U, supported insuitable bearing V and passing out through the side of the tank A, itsouter end being fitted with acrank--handle U', so that `by rotating thehandle U the wings R are caused to rotate and stir up the impurities atthe bottom of the tank and cause them to mix with the water, so as toiiow off through the pipe J.

In the compartment L is arranged a circular pipe V, provided with aseries of teats or nipples w at its upper side and with a series ofholes w at the lower side, through which IOO any impurities can beprecipitated to the bottom of the tank. This pipe is by a pipe Wconnected to a sight-feed X, and a short distance above the pipe W issecured a hood Y, that is also provided with a series of teats ornipples w.

The sight-feed X is, as before stated, connected to the pipe W at itsupper end, and its lower end is connected to the tank A, so that when inoperation it will always be filled with water. To the lower end of thesightfeed is secured valve Z, which is by pipes 1 2 in communicationwith the tank C. At the upper end of the pipe l is secured athermometer', by which the temperature of the oil in the tank C isindicated.

The lower portion of the sight-feed X, to which the valves Z isconnected, is formed with a chamber 4 (see Fig. 4) by a partition 5,which latter is fitted with any desired number of teats or nipples w',that are of suffi# cient length to conduct the oil above the lowerconnection of the tank A. All these teats or nozzles are of the formshown-that is, of a tubular form contracted near the outlet, so that theoil is practically formed into drops before it leaves the teats. Afterthe drop leaves the teats in the sight-feed it passes up through thewater in the glass tube or cylinder 6 and accumulates in a body in theupper portion of chamber 7 of the sightfeed and then passes through thepipe NV to the circular pipe W, provided with teats w, as beforedescribed, from which it escapes and passes to a hood Y, also providedwith teats fw.

S is a gage to indicate the level of the water and oil in thecompartment L, and 9 is a cock for drawing off the purified oil.

The operation is as follows: The compartment L in tank A is suppliedwith water to the desired level, and steam is caused to. circulatethrough the coil G. The oil to be purified is now placed in thereceptacle D and passed through the grating D and down thev pipe F intothe tank C, where it isheated by the coil G, and when it has reached thedesired height passes by the pipes 2 and l and through the valve Z tothe compartment 4 of the sight-feed, where it is broken up and thenpasses up the teats or nipples w, from which it escapes in the form ofdrops and passes up through the water in the glass tube, thus beingsubjected to a Washing. It then passes into the pipe W to the circularpipe W, where it is again concentrated into a mass and again broken upand passes out through the teats ornipples w, and passing through thewater in the tank is subjected to a second washing, and is then retainedand concentrated by the hood Y and again broken up and passes outthrough the teats or nipples into thewater, and is thus subjected to athird washing as it passes through the water, upon the surface of whichit rests until sufficient has accumulated, when it overflows into thecompartment M, and can then be drawn off by the cock 9 in a purifiedstate. The Water in the compartment L can be maintained at the desiredtemperature by admitting steam into the same through the pipes N R andarms Q, or a constant circulation of hot water may be maintained, ifdesired, in which case ,the impurities will be carried off as they arereleased by the pipe J; but if they are allowed to accumulate, then whenit is'desired to remove them steam or water is admitted through thepipes N R and arms Q and the crank U is turned, which causes theimpurities to be stirred up by the wings R and be carried otf by thesteam or water through the pipe J. It will be seen that by thearrangement of partitions E F F when the oil is heated it is caused tocirculate, and thus most of the heavier impurities are released and fallto thebottom of the tank C, and that by subjecting` the oil thuspurified to be broken vup into drops and passed through water in themanner described all the lighter impurities are released, thus renderingthe oil t for being again used for lubricating purposes, and by means ofthe sight-feed the action of the apparatus can .be seen, so that thesupply and also the heat in the coil may be regulated as required.

YVhat I claim as my invention is- 1. An apparatus for purifying oil,consisting of two tanks or compartments arranged one above the other,the upper tank having a compartment to receive the oil to be purified,circular fianges on the bottom of said com` partment, a coil of pipe forheating the oil, a pipe leading from said tank to a sight-feed, a lowertank having two compartments, the inner one of which is fitted with acircular pipe provided with nipples and connected to the saidsight-feed, and a hood provided with nipples and situated above the saidcircular pipe, all arranged and operated substantially as set forth.

2. In an apparatus for purifying oil, the combination, with the mainpurifying-chamber, of a sight-feed having a lower compartment into whichthe oil is admitted, an upper compartment for containing water, apartition separating said compartments, and two or more teats or nipplessecured. in the partition, said nipples projecting above the waterinlet,substantially as set forth.

3. In an apparatus for purifying oil, the combination, with the mainpurifying-chamber, of a sight-feed divided by a transverse partitioninto an upper and a lower compartment, the lower compartment being incommunication with the supply of oil, an inletpassage for water abovethe partition, and a series of teats or nipples secured in the partitionand projecting above the level of the water-inlet, substantially as setforth.

4. In an apparatus for purifying oil, the combination, with the mainpurifying-chamber, of a sight-feed divided by a transverse IOC) IIO

partition having passages through it into an upper chamber containingwater and a lower chamber, a supply-pipe for oil communicating with saidlower chamber, and a valve for regulating the supply of oil,substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus for purifying oil, a tank heated bya steam-coil, incombination with a sight-feed, and a tank havinga centralwatercompartment, into which the oil is delivered through the saidsight-feed, and a circular pipe having teats or nipples, substantiallyas set forth.

6. In combination with an apparatus for purifying oil, having acompartment contain ing water, into which the oil is admitted, andacircular pipe having a series of teats or nipples, whereby the oil isfirst concentrated and Vtitnesses:

CHAS. STEERE, EDWIN PLANTA.

